‘Redeemed’ inspired by uptick in anti-Asian hate crime amid pandemic
‘Redeemed’Through July 30Contemporary American Theater FestivalShepherdstown, W.Va.Catf.org For playwright Chisa Hutchinson, the annual Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University in historic, queer-friendly Shepherdstown, W.Va. (just a 90-minute drive from D.C.), has proved a launching pad for new work.
Currently, her play “Redeemed,” a piece inspired by an uptick in anti-Asian hate crime in the early days of the pandemic (think “kung flu”), is making its world premiere at the festival.
Originally conceived as a radio drama, the compelling two hander is set in the visiting room of a high security prison where Asian American Claire (Elizabeth Sun) meets with allegedly repentant Trevor (Doug Harris), the white man who murdered her gay brother when he heard him speaking Chinese in line at an ATM.
Whether the convicted killer is sincere or simply eager to be released is unclear. “When I began the play, I wasn’t sure how it would end,” explains Hutchinson, 43. “It was flowing easily to a point and then I had to stop.
